Characterization of Rosmarinus Officinalis growing in Lebanon

Abstract

Rosmarinus Officinalis is an evergreen plant that grows in north Lebanon. It belongs to the mint family. It is very popular in the Mediterranean region as a culinary herb. It has many pharmaceutical applications. This explains its importance in the medicinal field. The chemical composition of the essential oil of rosemary has been identified using GC/MS. The essential oil of rosemary has shown weak antioxidant activities, using the DPPH method, compared to BHT. The phenolic and flavonoidal content of the ethanolic extract of rosemary have been quantified using colorimetric methods and identified using HPLC. Using the DPPH method, the extract has a great antioxidant activity compared to BHT. The identification of the components of the rosemary essential oil, the extracts and the tests performed have scientifically supported its usage in traditional medicine.